Anything At All
by aizufox
Summary: Exploring Megumi's character and her relationship with Sanosuke in multiple settings/scenarios. Rooster/Fox friendship, love, some angst, and WAFF Chapter 7 up. Reviews welcome!
1. Anything At All

**Megumi is not feeling well and Sano decided to make himself useful. We will see what happens!**

"Hey Fox! You in here?"

A very impatient Sanosuke Sagara stood in the doorway of the Oguni Clinic with yet another hand injury and called for the young doctor who would no doubt give him another lecture.

There was no answer in the clinic. Several of Megumi's medical supplies were laid on the desk and she, who was meticulous about putting them away, would never have left the clinic in a state of disarray. Sano stole quietly back to the patients' rooms and saw Megumi stretched out on one of the futons grasping her stomach. She was moaning and sighing very slightly, but didn't seem alarmed at what was happening to her. A cup of water sat on the table next to her alongside a small bottle of willow tree sap—something she used to treat pain. Alarmed to see the doctor in such obvious distress, Sano ambled towards her.

" _Kitsune_ , what in hell happened to you?"

Megumi's eyes flew open.

"What are _you_ doing here?" she said in too-forced annoyance. "No wait, let me guess. You were drinking and gambling, you won, and then to celebrate, you drank some more and hit someone?"

"Smart fox," Sano grinned. "Except that I lost. Again."

As Megumi rose from the futon, she gave Sano a hard whack on the arm. "I treat two year old _children_ who are smarter than you are!" She winced as she dragged him off to the chair.

"Meg, you look like something hurts. What's wrong with you?" 

"Nothing," the young doctor said with a few vigorous waves of her hand.

"Doc, come on."

"Drop it."

"Nope."

That infuriating grin that made every muscle in Megumi's body bristle with annoyance spread across his face.

She sighed. Sano's ability to sense trouble or pain in others almost rivaled Kenshin's and once he suspected someone he cared about was struggling, he didn't let it go until it was taken care of.

"I...have a stomachache, alright?" she blurted out, quickly. _Close enough_

"Oh," Sano nodded, chewing on what appeared to be yet another blade of grass. At least he had stopped with the disgusting fishbones.

"Alright, well if you want me to bandage your brilliant self, give me your hand. Otherwise, scram. I have other patients today, and...HEY!"

"Huh. Well, hey, isn't this the stuff you usually use for stomachaches?" Sano had taken it upon himself to yank open and rummage in Megumi's medicine cabinet, shoving aside several jars and bottles and pulling out a green vial of a powder mix. "You gave this to me once after I overstuffed myself at the Akabeko. Tastes like sh-"

"I JUST arranged everything in there! And give me that!" Megumi snapped, snatching the bottle from Sano's hand. "Honestly!"

"Sheesh." Now it was Sano's turn to roll his eyes. "Hold on, I'll get your water."

"Just you wait!"

"What?!"

"Never mind." Megumi grabbed the bottle on the table and pulled her smock on. "I have to get ready. I know that I several appointments to re-bandage OTHER PEOPLE for a change so I don't have time to play games with you." 

"Who's playing, woman? You just told me you had a stomachache, so take the medicine already! It'll start working by then!" Sano felt his frustration rise to the surface. Why was she being so difficult?

" _Baka_...it's...it's not an **actual** stomachache!" Megumi heaved a sigh and her forehead hit the heel of her hand.

Ugh.

She was a doctor, not to mention a woman as well so it was hardly anything to be embarrassed about but never, **ever** did she think she would have this conversation with _Sanosuke_ of all people. That moron was always showing up and poking his chicken beak where it didn't belong. His knack for catching her off guard was second to none.

"Then what the hell is it?"

Sano looked genuinely confused, but after a few seconds, his eyebrows raised and he gave Megumi another glance. She had appeared to be holding her stomach, but now he saw that the discomfort was located in an area that was... slightly lower.

"You mean you're...uh...uh..." He awkwardly pointed his finger in the general direction making Megumi roll her eyes.

"Yes, Sanosuke, you figured it out." Megumi shook her head as if to cool her burning cheeks. "Sometimes the cramping gets bad, but nothing really works as well as rest does and I have work to do, so-," Here she gave Sano an impressive push out of her office "- if you'll _**excuse**_ me."

"Hold it," Sano said easily, taking Megumi's shoulders and stopping her from pushing him out. "You said you just had to wrap people up. I could probably handle it. Why don't you go rest s'more?" He shrugged lazily as if he was confused Megumi hadn't thought of it already. "Oh yeah, and don't you need something to put in your..."

" _ **Hush**_ it!" Megumi snapped, cheeks flaming as red as Kenshin's hair. "I can deal just fine thank you _very_ much!"

"Aw, c'mon fox. You and I both know I've got nothing going now and I've bandaged guys up before with all the fighting I've done, you know. Just the buddies of mine that I liked though." For a moment, he looked so smugly proud of himself that Megumi didn't know whether to laugh at or pinch him.

"Always fighting with you. Do you ever stop and think for ten seconds about...ooo!"

A sharp cramp started in Megumi's lower abdomen and she took the edge of the chair as she breathed deeply. Sano was at her side in an instant, taking her arm and lowering her down to sit, after which he brushed his finger tenderly against her cheek. Megumi looked up at him, startled at the small, affectionate gesture, but the chicken-head was still obnoxiously clucking about his ability to bloody up peoples' faces.

" You know, Meg, I think I've bandaged at least as many guys as I've put in the hospital!"

 _What a nitwit._ "Really now?"

"Yup!" Still that infuriating grin. "Think of how much business you could get 'cause of me."

"You already give me enough business. Or at least you would if you paid."

" Impressed?"

"Hardly." Megumi frowned at the Rooster suspiciously, trying to hide a smile. " Well if you bandage so well, why can't you ever fix yourself up instead of coming here and bothering me?"

Sano opened his mouth to retort, but suddenly caught himself. Megumi was the smartest woman—scratch that-the smartest _person_ Sano had ever met. Did she really have _no idea_ why he kept wanting to see her? As for Megumi—who hardly minded the pestering- she held her breath, waiting to hear what he would say.

"Well, I'm right handed," Sano said casually. "So, you know, can't really do much with my left one, especially not bandages." He flexed his fingers in the air and smirked at her.

"I don't even want to think about what _else_ you do with your hands," Megumi huffed, tossing her hair back, "and if you keep fighting like you do, you won't have use of either one of them."

"Would be a shame. So many things these hands would like to do," Sano drawled, winking at Megumi as a wicked smile spread across his face

 _ **WHACK**_ **.** Megumi's open palm connected impressively to Sano's head.

"OUCH!"

"YOU _**JUST**_ SAID YOU'D HELP ME!" Megumi yelled. Her temper had been shorter than usual all day and Sano, as usual, had just tipped it over the edge. 

"I WILL!"

"WELL, I'D LIKE TO LIE DOWN NOW SO ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL OR NOT?!"

"I SAID I WOULD, ALRIGHT?! DAMN!"

"THEN START ROLLING THE BANDAGES AND QUIT BEING SUCH A MASSIVE PERVERT!"

Sano would never admit this to anyone, but as she stood glaring at him with her hands balled into fists, he felt fear grip him. Women really **were** scary.

Especially Megumi. She got even worse than Jou-chan, and, despite all of his shady dealings in the underground world, Sano got genuinely frightened of Kaoru at times.

"Sheesh, fox," Sano mumbled, rubbing his head. "If I hadn't known you were on the rag, I sure as hell would've guessed it by now."

Megumi's fingers tightened around her medicine chest's handle and her eyes twitched at him in a horrifying manner. Sano grabbed the supplies he needed and ran to the other workroom faster than he ever had in his life.

*()*()*()*()*()*()*

It was late afternoon by the time Megumi opened her eyes again and glanced at the pocketwatch she kept by her futon. The sight of it brought a smile to her face as it had been her father's, purchased in England on one of his trips abroad to study Western medicine as a young doctor. Then she noticed the time and panicked. She had slept for almost two hours.

Damn!

She had left the clinic in Sano's hands for TWO hours and it was a miracle it hadn't burned to the ground yet. Forgetting how badly she was cramping, she jumped to her feet and grabbed her scarf to tie her hair back, not even noticing that someone had covered her with an extra blanket. Feeling a panic attack rise in her throat, Megumi suddenly stopped when she got to the door and heard voices coming from the treatment room.

"All right, little lady, hold your head still."

"I don't want that medicine. It hurts!"

"Aw, it'll be over before you know it. Promise."

Cracking the door open, Megumi saw the reassuring sight of Dr. Gensai, who had just returned from his rounds a half an hour earlier, standing next to a young man whose daughter sat on Sano's knee. The little girl had sustained a large cut on her forehead, which had bled into her hair and down the front of her kimono. It was obvious that she had been crying. She glanced nervously up at the ex-fighter, who dampened a cloth with an antiseptic and Megumi saw that the child's lip trembled ever so slightly, poor thing. Sano applied the antiseptic gently to the girl's forehead and she winced slightly, but did not cry again. After taping the cut like he had seen Megumi do many times, Sano smiled at the child who grinned back at him. Dr. Gensai checked her eyes by shining a small light into them, asked her a few questions, and then reassuringly cleared her to go home. The girl's hair had been gently braided away from her face in order to allow Sano to treat her wound and tied with a strip of bandaging cloth.

Had Sanosuke done that? Where had _he_ learned to braid hair?

"Missy, you tolerated that better than I've seen some so-called tough guys do it. Nice job."

The child, relieved that she was done getting finished with treatment, jumped off the chair and threw her small arms around Sano, who curled his hand around her back in a fatherly hug.

 _Fatherly?_

Megumi blushed until the tips of her ears burned. Why in the world had _that_ been the word that came to mind?

The father and daughter left shortly afterwards. Dr. Gensai and Sano exchanged a few words, with the doctor thanking the brawler for being there for Megumi when she needed a rest-which she was frequently told she did- before the older man left to check on his granddaughters who were at the dojo with Kenshin. Sanosuke shrugged lazily as though it were nothing and somehow intelligently knew to keep the details of Megumi's indisposition to himself. Megumi smiled when she heard Sano tell the doctor that he would stay at the clinic at least until he knew that she was feeling better and she stifled a laugh. After all, she knew that this time of the month was hardly anything to overly fuss over, but it was adorable seeing Sano so concerned. A loud noise from the kitchen startled her out of her reverie, and, with a sigh, she went to see what had happened, only to find Sano carelessly shuffling through her cabinets.

"Sanosuke, what are you _doing_?!"

"Oh hey, it's you."

Megumi rolled her eyes. "Who _else_ would it be?"

"Meh. How're ya feeling? How's your...uhh... thing? Is it gone?"

The doctor fought hard not to burst out laughing at how flustered he looked.

"That's not quite how it works, but...I'm fine. What are you doing now?"

"What's it look like? I'm heating water."

"Is that so? For what?"

"For you, crazy! Thought you could do with some tea, alright?"

"I suppose. You can actually think critically once in awhile."

"Heh. Such nice words coming from you, for once." Sano said, casually. "You're the doctor, after all and didn't think of it yourself. You're suppos'd to be the smart one around here, but seein' how that's not the case...damn!" Megumi had grabbed hold of his ear and pulled down with an impressive amount of force.

"Moron!"

"Shit!" Sano clutched his ear with one hand and almost spilled water everywhere.

"What do you mean that's not the case?! And what's with you sneaking though my cupboards?"

"It's hardly a secret from ME where you keep the tea, vixen!"

"Freeloader." Megumi was smiling now. The nap had refreshed her and she felt much better than she had all day.

"Nag." Sano gave her a crooked smile and handed her a cup. Megumi took it gratefully, relishing the warm feeling on her hands.

As she sipped the beverage, Sano caught himself starting once or twice at Megumi's face despite his attempts to look busy.. She was so close to him that he could smell the lavender scent of her long, glossy hair. She had forgone the usual red lipstick today and not a trace of powder was on her face. It was hard for Sano to remember at times that she was human like the rest of them underneath her cunning and shrewd exterior and the lack of make-up showed a more vulnerable side of her

He had to admit that he preferred her without all the crap on her face.

"This does taste nice," Megumi murmured, dreamily staring at the tea.

"Thought it would," Sano muttered, still staring at her face.

Megumi noticed his dumbfounded expression and smiled, her beautiful maroon eyes glowing. Without knowing exactly what came over her, she reached over and looped an arm quickly around his neck and for a quick second pulled him close to her before letting go.

"...thank you, Sano. You've done so much for me today." Her eyes gazed up at him with a softness he had never seen before and it was through sheer will that he didn't drop to his knees, beg her to marry (yes, marry) him, and kiss that beautiful mouth. "Really, Sano. Thank you, truly."

"Yeah, Megumi, sure." Sano stuttered. Then, before he could stop himself, it came out. " I...I, uh...I'd do anything for you." _Anything at all._

For a moment, the two of them looked at each other and then at the floor as their well-known banter faded. Finally, Sano spoke up.

"Do you need anything else?"

"Not especially."

"Are you gonna be okay if I leave you?"

"I promise I won't die."

"Want me back tomorrow?"

"Absolutely not."

"Great," Sano said with a grin. "I'll see ya then."

Megumi chuckled softly as she watched him make his way to the door and slide it open. He paused and stared outside for a bit, letting some of the chilly night air into the small clinic. "Just...send for me if you feel like it."

She nodded.

Then he was gone, hands shoved in his pockets and muttering under his breath.

"Definitely found the right doctor to cure what I've got." *

* A reference to Sano's lovesick "illness" at the end of episode 14 of Rurouni Kenshin


	2. From Now On

**A one shot that I had in my head of Megumi finding her family without a happy ending. My father in law passed away this week and I wrote this in memory of him.**

 **Slight mentions of abuse and self-inflicted injury.**

Why were there four?

A cold wind swept through the quiet Aizu burial ground bringing with it a fluttering of dying cherry blossoms. The sweet scent of them reached her nose, but they only smelled like the dirt that the stones lay on.

Four stones in a row bearing the name 'Takani'. They stared at her silently, unmoving and confirmed the fears that she had ignored while she fought for survival, ignored as she distilled the poppy juice for the opium and ignored as she huddled in the observatory listening to the gunshots as the _tanto_ blade gleamed at her from the floor.

She could ignore it no longer. Not one of them was left.

Her father she knew had died on the battlefield. She had heard it from her mother as the older woman tearfully insisted to her daughter that it was true. Her father that she loved more than anything in the world, whose deep voice and warm hands comforted and healed.

But surely her mother and brothers were still alive, she had thought so many times.

She thought it during the dark days after the war as she healed from the burns that she had sustained during the fire.

She thought it as she worked with the doctor, who had showed her kindness after she had trod the weary path of a child alone in the world.

She had thought it even more often during the horrific time with Kanryuu, as month after month went by and his demands become more sinister, more violating, more abusive. The self-inflicted scars on her wrists added up as did her hopes that her mother and brothers were still, _**still**_ alive and looking for her too.

Now here she stood staring wide-eyed at the evidence in front of her as she stood in front of the man who had insisted on traveling with her to Aizu. Red headband and white jacket with the black kanji on the back fluttered in the wind as he looked at her, thoughtfully frowning as she suddenly froze while standing over one of the stones.

Then she screamed and a flurry of choking sobs followed as the silence of the cemetery broke.

She threw herself to her knees and, all composure, all good and traditional lady-like upbringing was forgotten. She sobbed from the bottom of her heart, crying out to God, begging for it not to be so. He watched her, his heart breaking at her pain, but much like in the fight at Mt. Hiei when he was asked not to interfere, no matter what, he silently obeyed it now and left her to her grief.

Before long, her body went limp and she rested her head on the stone of her younger brother as her tears continued to run, leaving pools on the stone. At that moment, time seemed to freeze and she was utterly alone in the world.

For what seemed like hours, nothing moved.

Then she felt strong arms wrap around her, cradling her back and legs before pulling her up and off the ground. She went slack and allowed herself to be carried from the cemetery. Long moments passed where nothing was said and then she spoke.

"I thought one of them, just one, would be left...just one."

"I know."

"All of that time...all of those years when I hoped...what was it for?"

"It brought you to me," Sano said, staring straight ahead. "I'm your family from now on."

Resting her head on his chest, Megumi listened to his heartbeat as he carried her home.


	3. A Needed Embrace

**Set after the battle with Shishio after Megumi has arrived in Kyoto and finds herself trying to put her feelings in order.**

It was midday at the Shirobeko and Megumi Takani was in full doctor mode. She strode from room to room, checking on the group of warriors for almost the thousandth time in about a month. The fight with Shishio was over, but Kenshin was just now getting out of the woods and Yahiko's back had developed a small infection that was slowly healing from the salve she had applied every morning and evening. Kaoru was back on her feet and impressively helping Megumi hold up against a constantly wailing Misao – which was more from Aoshi's departure and not from the several broken ribs she had sustained-and Omasu and Okon had recovered from their wounds quickly and had practically turned the upper floor of the restaurant into a mini-Aoiya resort and hospital wing. Sae, of course, was more than happy to play hostess and gave them plenty of room until the new inn could be completely repaired.

Smiling somewhat awkwardly at the sight of Kenshin and Kaoru engaged in a game of Shogi while Okon not-so-subtly asked an "oro"-ing Kenshin questions about Hiko, the doctor walked down to the door where her most temperamental patient lazily sprawled on a futon covered with Western-style pillows and nonchalantly fussed with a pair of chopsticks in his left hand. Seeing her enter, he dropped them and gave her a disarming grin.

"Well, how's the hand?" Megumi inquired, kneeling on the side of the futon and motioning Sano to move over.

"Better now. Nice work." He winked at her and, as much as she tried not to, she smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Well, I must say, in all my years in medicine I've never saw anything like it. You're lucky I still had a hand TO bandage."

"Impressed, huh?"

"Sanosuke Sagara, doctors don't get 'impressed' at their patient's injuries. Honestly."

"You should have seen me fight though," the ex-brawler said enthusiastically, jumping into a sitting position on the futon. "When I'm out of bandages, I've gotta show you. I can-"

"Are you insane? I don't see you out of these bandages for a good long while! Given the rest of your injuries, I'm surprised you were even able to carry Ken-san back."

"Well, I wasn't gonna just leave him there."

"Of course not, but no more punching for awhile. Of any kind."

"Aw, c'mon!"

"No! The bones in your hand were completely crushed and the muscles were all but shredded. That doesn't heal overnight."

"C'mon, kitsune! It's not-"

"ARE YOU THREE?"

Sano shrugged and put out his tongue at Megumi, earning him another roll of the eyes. Then he humored her with some peace and quiet as he watched the young physican slowly wrap the linen bandages around his wrist and fingers after discarding the old ones. In what seemed like seconds, she had unwrapped his hand, washed the skin, applied a stinging disinfectant, then a salve, gently massaged his bones to check on the healing, and begun to wrap him again. Sano's heart clenched looking at Megumi. She looked exhausted. Despite the smoothness of her skin, small worry lines had been set in for what Sano assumed had been a good long while. Probably since his fight with Saito and Kenshin's departure for Kyoto. Half circles darkened the skin beneath her eyes, which were red from lack of sleep. She had foregone her usual beauty routine for the past few days as her only priority was everyone else and not a single trace of powder or lipstick grazed her face. Sano admitted to himself that he preferred her that way—she didn't need that stuff.

"Alright," Megumi said, finally. "That should do it. For now, I am going to keep checking on your hand every day to make sure the bones are still setting properly. If they don't because you won't listen to me, I will have no choice but to re-break them to set them again..." She broke off with a wry smile as Sano winced. "I am sure it won't come to that, but that is why it is so important to take care of yourself and not exert your hand, especially for the next few weeks."

"Anything for the fox doc," Sano replied idly, stretching his arms over his head with a yawn.

The restaurant had gotten awfully quiet for the midday and it was likely that everyone was resting in one way or another trying to refuel from the grueling last two months.

"Okay, good." Megumi gathered her supplies and looked as though she was about to stand when Sano suddenly sat up to meet her face from his nest of pillows.

"Hey, how are _you_ holding up?" He asked her, brown eyes tenderly seeking an answer from her face.

Megumi's red mouth dropped open for a minute, surprised at the question and not exactly sure what to tell him. In all honesty, she was dead on her feet and hadn't gotten a truly good night's rest since the day Saito had made his appearance and left blood from both Kenshin and Sano splattered though the dojo. The trip from Tokyo to Kyoto had been nightmarish as she prepared herself to expect the worst once she got there. Once the train pulled from the station, Megumi had been overcome by a series of panic attacks wondering if she would make it to Kyoto and find all of her friends dead, once again losing a family she loved. On top of that, the days since she had been at the Aoiya were blending together as she lost herself in syringes, linen cloth, salves, blood, stitching needles, fevers, broken bones, and bowl after bowl of hot disinfecting water, wondering when and if Kenshin would finally open his eyes. Seeing Aoshi Shinomori again was a shock to her system and caused her to wake up in a cold sweat that night, dreaming of Kanryuu again, even though the ninja had already left for the temple. It would be awhile before she could easily rest in his presence. Then there was the raging battle in her heart whenever she saw Kaoru with Kenshin as she struggled to sort her feelings out and the bothersome feeling she got whenever she was around Sano.

"Come here, doc." Sano said, extending his arm towards the young doctor, lost in her thoughts.

"Hm, what?"

Megumi barely had time to process her shock before she felt the warm, comforting embrace of Sano's arm around her shoulders. She felt her insides turn hot, then cold, and, finally, a pinprick sensation spread from her abdomen to the tips of her fingers. Despite the warmth of the gesture, Megumi was so startled that she went rigid in his arms. Sanosuke relaxed his grip on her to reassure her that she could slip away at any time. He was acutely aware of how much physically stronger than her he was, how exhausted she must feel, and suddenly became very, very determined not to hurt her in any way.

Wrought with guilty thoughts, Sano suddenly dropped his arm from Megumi's shoulders.

"I...thought you could use it.."

"Oh?"

"I...I'm sorry fox."

"What for?"

It was then that Sano noticed Megumi's arms had snaked around his back and were returning the embrace. Her body relaxed against him and she allowed herself to close her eyes. Her body became less tense, and, from underneath the silk of her smock and kimono, Sano felt Megumi's shoulders drop.

"You...okay?"

Megumi nodded, feeling an odd mix of euphoria and fatigue wash over her. She could barely remember the last time someone had reached out to her in a tender, affectionate manner. It must have been over ten years ago when her family was still with her. She hadn't let anyone get too close to her in the lonely years since and all of her attempts to show Kenshin her feelings were strictly one-sided. Despite his unerring politeness, it was clear to Megumi that the kind swordsman showed no such affection for her. Now that Sano held her gently, Megumi felt, more than anything, how necessary this was. A needed embrace from someone who cared about her.

"Sano..."

"I swear I'll let you go if you want"

"No."

"No, huh?"

"Absolutely not, rooster."

"Okay." There was a touch of surprise in his voice. Very slowly, in order to show her that no ulterior motive was planned, Sano embraced Megumi gently as he lowered himself back down so that he lay in a propped position on his futon again. He held her somewhat awkwardly, but it was clear she didn't mind.

 _This feels so good_ , Megumi thought, a smile beginning to shadow her face. She told herself that it was only that she was tired and needed a rest as she listened to Sano's heartbeat in his chest, mentally calculating the number of beats. They finally sounded normal again and not frantic as they did when his body fought to replenish his strength after so much blood loss. When she laid a hand on his arm and shifted her head, some of her hair came loose from its scarf and fell on his chest, tickling it. It was then that Megumi swore she heard a series of palpitations.

"Are _you_ okay?" she asked, a tiny smile gracing her lips. Her eyelids were getting dangerously heavy.

"Yeah, yeah," Sano replied. "Don't worry about me. Maybe you should get some rest, huh?"

"Mm," Megumi replied, closing her eyes. "I... should."

She knew Sano was expecting her to leave the room and head to her own, but she stayed against him, relishing the feeling of someone caring for her in what seemed like forever. Sano, although delighted at the feeling of the pretty Megumi in his arms had not yet picked up on the fact that she had chosen to stay with him to nap.

"Uh, fox...," Sano said nudging her gently. A very light snore from Megumi was heard. Again, he tapped her shoulder. "Foxy?"

Suddenly Megumi's hand reached up and tugged on his hair, the only part of his body that wasn't injured.

"Sanosuke!"

"OW!"

"You wanted me to rest, so I'm resting!" the physican said, fox ears and tail twitching irritably, "Now will you _shut up_? Can I get at least one nap in after waiting on your _obnoxious_ self for three weeks?!"

"Alright, _damn!_ " Sano grumbled.

He reached over and wrapped his other arm around Megumi's waist, so that she was securely on the futon. Once she was, he grabbed an extra blanket Omasu had laid out for him earlier and tossed it around her shoulders. Within minutes, he had fallen asleep, Megumi securely bundled against him.

Before she fell asleep, Megumi looked up at Sano for a good long, trying in vain to sort out the feelings suddenly tangling up in her heart.

 _I don't want to take just any affection that's given to me to try and replace what I felt for Ken-san..._

Sano sighed slightly and shifted in his sleep. Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on Megumi, making sure she was still there.

 _...but I don't think I am. I think...I think that now, I would rather be here with Sanosuke than anywhere._

Suddenly it dawned on Megumi what had been so bothersome to her. The thoughts had started out small after she and Sano met and grown quickly, but then faded in and out whenever she had thought about Kenshin. She settled her feelings for the rurouni once he left for Kyoto, but the _other_ emotions that kept stirring, that she had tried to ignore, came though with a vengence. Try as she might, she couldn't get them out of her head.

 _Impossible!_

The thoughts and emotions took her hostage and began to scream at her. Internally, Megumi resigned herself to it. They were right and had been now for a very long time.

 _No, it's not impossible. I have feelings for Sanosuke and...I might just be falling in love with him._

An unexplicable impression rose up inside Megumi as she pondered this.

 _What in the world do I do now?_

" _Oy,_ kitsune..."

" _What?"_

Megumi's head jerked up grumpily at being interrupted from her thoughts only to be gently flicked on her forehead and then pressed back down into Sano's shoulder.

"That hurt, you _baka_!"

"Stop thinkin' and go to sleep."

"Now that's advice I'll never have to give you," Megumi grumbled as she finally closed her eyes.

 _For now, I'll be here. Maybe with him...maybe with Sanosuke I can finally rest._


	4. It's All Perfect

**Slight spoilers for Jinchu arc**

It was one of those beautiful chilly nights where one was content to burrow underneath several layers of clothing and feel the night air only on the tips of their nose and ears. Being so far in the country, the stillness of the night air was broken by the crackling of the fire outside and the chirp of cicadas bringing a lively chorus to the stillness. Despite how cold as it was, the sky was a beautifully clear sight and every heavenly body seemed to be visible.

Sagara Sanosuke, formerly Higashidani Sanosuke, languorously stretched out in the dimly lit room adjacent to the house on the small Shinshu farm that he was currently visiting. He remarked quietly to himself how well the farm and its inhabitants were doing since he had left and come back from his worldwide trek-not to mention his gratefulness that the trouble _he_ had stirred up here long ago had been forgotten. He lazily chewed a blade of grass, having reluctantly abandoned the fish bones at his wife's insistence.

Wife. _His_ wife.

She lay peacefully next to him in a rare moment of rest, folding out the wings of a paper crane. Her fidelity to her work, something Sano had always admired, had a tendency to also exhaust her, especially in the past few months. Her brilliance and loyalty were matched only by her physical beauty and, for the millionth time since he had first laid eyes on her almost seven years ago, Sano felt his chest soar just by looking at her. Gently, he dipped his fingers in the pool of dark hair collecting by her elbow, on which she was propped upon, before laying his hand on her abdomen. A sudden fluttering was felt inside followed by a series of forceful movements. In the flicker of the candlelight, Megumi's smile was marred by a small groan and a look of annoyance thrown in Sano's direction.

"Baka. You woke her."

"Oy..." Sano said, sheepishly. His hand continued to playfully stroke Megumi's rippling belly. "Ease up on your mom, huh kid?"

After what felt an awful lot like a kick from a determined limb, the tiny being responded to the deep voice and calmed under its father's hand.

"Oh, man..." Sano sighed, moving down the futon to rest his head next to Megumi's belly. "Sorry fox, I didn't know I could make her mad from out here."

"You have a gift."

Megumi's chuckle was soft as she lay peacefully on the extra blankets Sano had brought in for her. Outside Uki and Outa chased fireflies while Satoshi, Uki's husband of three months, smiled at the siblings and made small talk with Kamishimoemon whose pipe smoke Megumi could smell from where she and Sano lay. At the thought of her father-in-law, Megumi smiled. He resembled Sano in so many ways that it was almost like seeing what her husband would be like a good twenty years from now. At the sight of Megumi, Kamishimoemon, along with Uki and Outa, had wasted no time irritating Sano by asking how he ever convinced the beautiful young doctor to marry him, even as his eyes twinkled with the sight of his impending grandchild. Megumi had taken easily to her father-in-law-his warm laughter, his teasing of Sano, his ridiculous jokes, and immense generosity had won her over easily and eased the ache in her heart that had been left wanting after her own father died so many years before.

Suddenly, Megumi heard Outa's voice rise in pitch and she heard the beginnings of a playful sibling fight, then Uki's laughter, a gasp from Satoshi, and a clatter as something was dropped. Sano snickered.

"Uki's changed since I was last here. That Satoshi's been good for her. Helped her ease up a bit."

Megumi continued to smile and wound the ends of Sano's bandana around her fingers.

"Don't tell him I said that," Sano continued. "Think he's kinda afraid of me. Wanna keep it like that."

"Silly rooster." Megumi's pink lips kept their smile.

"Outa...hardly recongnize him. He wields that bokken almost as good as Jou-chan. Prob'ly could throw a good punch or two..." His voice trailed off.

"Sanosuke, what is it?"

Her husband sighed. "Just wish I coulda seen more of 'em growing up is all."

"I know." The tapered fingers still wound the red ends around them. "Still, you're here now, don't forget that. You know that Kenji-chan adores you already, for some reason..."

Megumi flirtily crooked her head to look at the ex-fighter who ignored her bait for playful banter.

"I'm not leavin' again," Sano said with sudden ferocity, as though he was worried Megumi thought he would. "I've come back and I'm stayin'. For good this time, ok?"

"Baka-tori."

A good tug on his longer, but still-spiky hair told Sano that his worries were for nothing and he settled back down next to Megumi, and placed his hand over hers, which lay on her slowly burgeoning belly.

"Hey," Sano said after a few minutes. Moving up so he could look Megumi in the eye, he gently stroked her cheek, "I told you."

"Told me what?"

"That you'd see your family one day."

Megumi's eyes glazed over a bit, recalling a moment from long ago when a knife meant for her heart had its path broken by Sano's own hand, giving her another chance at life. She remembered, vividly, the gleam of the blade in her cool, sweaty palms and Sano's voice shouting at her, telling her over and over that she didn't have to die.

"Yes, yes you did." The young doctor's eyes glazed over at the memory. She clutched her midsection protectively, feeling a small stirring against her hand.

"Wasn't quite the family you were expecting but..."

"It's perfect," the doctor murmured, mostly to herself but Sano heard her soft voice and turned around, surprised.

"What?"

"Perfect, tori-atama. It's all perfect," Megumi murmured, tipped her husband's chin up so that his eyes met hers. She gazed at him warmly as her fingers stroked underneath his chin.

Sanosuke, her husband, patient, friend, and antagonist had quite unexpectedly come into her life and disappeared even more quickly due to his impulsive nature, which had thankfully quelled a bit due to his travels. Nonetheless, he had received one of Megumi's worst tongue-lashings when she had returned to her clinic in Aizu last fall and saw him waiting at the doorstep, hair longer, face scratchier, and a cloak wrapped around his trademark jacket. After he had given her a wink, she had swung between screaming with ire at his sudden leaving and crying with relief because- as she told him- she had been convinced that he wouldn't have made it back at all. Whether falling drunkenly overboard on a ship, shot by someone attempting to collect his gambling debts, or simply dead in a ditch somewhere, Megumi had rapidly sputtered out all of the worst nightmares she had endured in the time he'd been gone. Sanosuke had bellowed with laughter, delighted at her still-fiery spirit and her attempts to shame him. When they had both calmed to the point of speaking, their shortest and most direct conversation to date had taken place, showing them both that they still knew each other better than anyone.

" _Marry me, fox."_

" _Of course, idiot. You're cutting that hair first. It's almost longer than mine."_

" _You got it."_

Sano had placed his lips on hers where they had stayed for a good long while. He had then gifted her with a Mother of Pearl haircomb he had purchased in England. He had carefully transported the precious item over the following two years that it took him to get back to Japan and Megumi was as much surprised at receiving the gift as she was at the perfect condition that it was in after so much travel. They had married the next day as neither wanted a long engagement or a formal wedding, and had visited the Himura family in Tokyo a week later. Kenshin, a man that Sano had seen fight powerfully with all the grace and reflexes of the mythical dragon his sword style was named after, had looked as though he would faint from the shock of not only seeing Sanosuke, his most cherished friend after Kaoru, but Sano _married to none other than Megumi!_ The joy that had radiated the ex-rurouni's face was unmistakable. Yahiko had grabbed Sano in a friendly chokehold sweeping along a giggling Tsubame and Kaoru had shrieked with tears of joy leaving Megumi's kimono-clad shoulder soaked. A wide-eyed toddling Kenji could only stare slack-jawed as he took in the sight of the six adults acting utterly ridiculous.

The present sounds of the fire crackling and the happy voices from outside trailed to Sano's ears. He looked back over to his wife, now quietly dozing off, the paper crane resting on her belly. Her words washed gently over him.

 _It's all perfect._

For a moment, Sano considered going back outside for one more sakazuki of sake or another chance to affectionately rub Outa's head, but quickly decided there would be time for it in the morning. He lay back down next to Megumi, his jacket and headband rustling quietly as he removed them, and pulled her close so that her head came to rest on his shoulder. Toying with the paper crane she had folded, the minutes stretched luxuriously into the rest of the night, pulling Sano into a blissful fatigue as his wife and the sweet creation inside her slept in his arms.

 **A/N: Hey all who follow and have favorited me...THANK YOU! New readers, I hope you enjoy and please review if so inclined!**

 **Japanese origami cranes symbolize peace, hope, and healing. I thought it fit in well with this particular chapter to have Megumi fold one.**

 **This is a Mother of Pearl hair comb circa 1880's which was around the time Sano would have been in England. I love the thought of Megumi wearing something so elegant in her dark hair.**

 **Sano and Megumi call their unborn child "her" only based on their feelings that it will be a daughter as sonograms were not around yet. In stories to come, they will be proven correct :)**

 **I like the idea of the two of them having a quick ceremony without all the trimmings of a traditional wedding. Agree? Disagree? Tell me :)**

 **-aizufox**


	5. He Said Goodbye

_**When Sano fled Tokyo after the Jinchu arc, it was mentioned that he was gone for a week. Where exactly was he? My answer below.**_

"I can't believe how stupid you are."

"So what else is new?"

"No, seriously. You bring an entire new dimension to the word."

"I can't believe you're a doctor with that bedside manner."

"My bedside manner is perfectly fine. _Some_ people just don't know how to listen."

"Kinda hard not to listen with that hellcat mouth of yours..."

Sanosuke barely had time to utter the words before Megumi shoved him against the door of the carriage, hard. The fighter bumped the handle, which gave way under his weight and and nearly caused him to fall out as Megumi nearly choked on her laughter.

"Dammit, fox!"

"Hahahahaha!" The noblewoman's laugh that Megumi was known for gave way and she laughed in a highly undignified manner until her sides hurt. The carriage that had departed from Tokyo, not even a full half hour ago was suddenly stopped and almost lurched them both forward from their seats.

"Lady Takani, is everything all right?" The frazzled coachman's voice called faintly. Sano's grabbing onto the carriage after the full speed run he had done, had not been gentle and the poor man had almost fainted.

"It's fine, _gomen nasai_ ," Megumi called out. "Please forgive us."

"Ooo, 'Lady Takani', huh?" Sano said mockingly. "Bet you like the sound of that."

"Shut. Up," Megumi growled timing a well placed smack upside Sano's head.

"Some doctor you are. Hell's with you, woman?!"

"Me?! I said goodbye to all of you at the station not one full hour ago only for you to unceremoniously jump onto the back of the carriage and yank the door open. Remember, what happened to Okubo-san? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"And you almost killed me!"

"Sadly."

Megumi crossed her arms and huffed at him. She now always traveled with a knife concealed in her obi and when Sano had run to catch her carriage and yanked the door open, she had pulled her knife out and almost given him a decent sized cut.

"So explain to me what is going on _one_ more time! You punched a politician..."

"Yup. Pretty hard too if I do say so myself."

"Now the police are after you..."

"Punched a few of them too."

Megumi's teeth clenched and the vein in her forehead threatened to go right through her skin. "And now you want what?"

"I gotta get out of Tokyo for a bit. That's why I ran and caught ya. Just let me go to Aizu with ya and next week I'll leave. Promise. I'll even help you get the clinic up and running."

"Stay with me?! You freeloading nuisance! I don't even know if there will be room. I don't even know if there will be more than one futon!"

Sano grinned at her. "And?"

This time Megumi threw all her weight sideways and knocked him out of the carriage.

"So what are your plans then, baka tori?"

"Huh?"

The lady doctor's eye twitched in annoyance. "Plans! What exactly are you intending to do once you reach wherever it is you're going?"

"Dunno exactly. Had some old underground connections I can use to get myself into a ship. I've done it for others before. They'll smuggle me across the ocean, maybe to America." He looked thoughtfully at the ceiling. "From there, I'll just make my way."

"I suppose I understand," Megumi replied thoughtfully, shifting in her seat to minimize the knot growing in her stomach. "How long will you be gone?"

"No idea."

"Will... you come back?"

Sano's eyes softened at the searching look she gave him. He hadn't planned on it one way or the other. Just wasn't the kind of person he was—he settled in where he could and then moved on. As he told his father in Shinshuu, he had no where to return to and no one to protect. Looking at her face, he saw equal parts curiousity and concern. Perhaps something else was there as well, but he couldn't quite discern it. Whatever it was, Sano turned away from Megumi's face, suddenly unable to look at her. The words that had been exchanged between them only an hour or so before rang in his ear.

 _Whoever you want to see, you can always see them at any time you want._

 _You really do say nice things sometimes..._

It had been under the guise of comforting Kaoru, but Sano knew where his words had truly come from. He hadn't so much been referring to Kaoru as much as he had been himself. He realized at that point how much he would truly miss her and taken comfort in the fact that he could get to her quickly if he had wanted to. Now that time was running out for him, Sano realized it all the more.

"Yeah," the fighter muttered. "I'll come back."

Was that relief he saw on her face? For a moment, her eyes glowed and a sigh escaped between her lips

before she quickly fell back into her familiar habit—teasing him. "Oh, I won't hold my breath, rooster. I hear gambling's big in America. I expect you'll find yourself in jail over your debt and ask us to sail right over and break you out."

"Heh." Sano forced out a small laugh. "Yeah, maybe."

Silence. The horse whinnied slightly. A sign passed them on the side. Aizu was only another kilometer.

"Answer me something," Megumi said, pushing a bookcase towards Sano.

They were currently in the middle of rearranging the clinic office on Sano's second day staying in Aizu. True to his word, he had assisted her with various chores in rearranging the doctor's quarters the way that she wanted and chopped enough firewood to boil water for months to come. There had been an extra futon after all and she had been able to offer him one of the extra rooms as his own, although she had given warning that if he "accidentally" went into the wrong room, she would break his other hand. An argument was currently brewing (again) between them as Megumi struggled with the heavy wooden bookcase, but refused to let Sano take it. _Damn woman's pride,_ he thought.

"Fox, c'mon let me lift it. You're gonna hurt yourself."

"I've got it. So as I was saying..."

"Here, let me..."

"Sanosuke!"

"Sheesh, what?!"

"How is it that even when I finally got to leave Tokyo, you still ended up here freeloading off me?"

"Hey, back off! I'm only stayin' till my boat leaves and I need a place outta town to hide for a bit. I'm helping get the clinic set up for ya, aren't I?"

Megumi finished pushing the heavy piece of furniture towards the corner where she wanted it and stood back to admire the angle. Her collection of books would fit perfectly. She gestured towards a pile of them on the floor and Sano grumbled as he got to work setting them on the shelf. "I suppose you can be useful, I swear, you're a leech in human form."

"And the sexiest human form you've ever seen."

"Idiot."

"I don't hear a 'no'"

Megumi's cheeks were red, but she smiled in spite of herself. Kneeling down next to Sano, she wiped down the bottom of the bookshelf watching as Sano carefully arranged medical textbooks written in Chinese, Japanese, and English on the shelves. They worked in comfortable silence for a moment or two, before she heard Sano snicker. Looking up, Megumi saw that he had a reproductive health textbook she had ordered from Nagasaki and was pointing out one specific (and rather detailed) drawing to her. She rolled her eyes and continued to clean.

"This is for muscle pain. Apply a small amount on your skin, but don't bandage it too tightly. It will absorb fine on its own."

"Got it."

Megumi handed the salve to Sano, who tucked it away in his bag. She then held up a thin sleeve of yellowish paper.

"This here? If you have a headache, dissolve one of these packets in at least one full cup of water. You don't want to choke on the powder. If the headache is from a hangover, then you deserve it for being stupid. Next time don't get drunk."

"There's that bedside manner again," Sano muttered.

"The best way to treat any illness is to prevent it from happening in the first place," Megumi replied with the know-it-all tone that she knew irritated Sano. She tossed the medicine over and he easily caught it.

"Yeah, yeah. Anything else?"

"Yes," Megumi replied. She reached inside her sleeve and removed a purse. Opening it, she removed several yen notes and held them out to him. "Take these. At least until you leave Japan and then exchange them. You could possibly do that on the ship."

Sano stared at the money she held and for the first time in awhile felt hesitation about taking money from someone. She had only just moved here and would no doubt incur some expenses, however small, until she had a steady income. Unlike him, she had earned it through her hard work healing the people of Tokyo, a promise that she had to him as much as Kenshin. Sano remembered the look of desperation in her eyes at Kanryuu's mansion before she had accepted his forgiveness for the death of his friend and the rurouni's encouragement to become a doctor. All the times he had seen her work, the crimes of her past no doubt haunting her every single day sprang to his mind and moved a small feeling of guilt inside him. Megumi had always been there for everyone at the Kamiya dojo, especially given him and his shenanigans. Never once had she asked for anything back. Even now when he was potentially putting her in danger by seeking shelter as a fugitive. Megumi always gave and he was always on the receiving end. Now it was his turn to show her how much it meant to him. To show her how much she inspired him to do the same.

"Nah. Fox, you keep it. I'll make my way."

Megumi's eyes widened before a small frown etched itself on her forehead. "Sano, don't be silly."

Taking her small, smooth hands in his, he gently tucked the bills back into her hand and folded her fingers around them.

"Megumi. I'm fine. Trust me."

Sano turned around and continued to pack the small bag containing various medicines and instructions for how to mix more that Megumi had written for him. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but quickly closed it again, finding herself at a loss for words. As Sano continued to pack, she simply stood and watched him.

The clinic was finally furnished to Megumi's liking and because Sano had been around to help, she had finished a few days ahead of schedule. They now sat sipping tea and admiring the handiwork of Megumi's new home. Her quarters were small, but cozy and situated down a corridor from the clinic so she could be on call when needed, but still have her privacy. There were several new fashioned furnishings, including a grandfather clock which ticked away quietly. Sano had even touched up the outside doorway to keep the draft out during colder days and the faint smell of hung in the air. He was due to leave Aizu soon. After deciding to go back to Tokyo on foot, Sano had waited until the sun had set before going. With any luck, he would make it to town quickly and Katsu would make sure he got to the dock and safely aboard a steamer bound for America. The nervousness felt by both of them permeated the atmosphere as a million questions ran through both their heads. For once, they were at a loss for words towards one another.

Finally, Megumi spoke. "Are you sure you have everything?"

"Pretty sure, yeah. Not taking that much anyway."

"Right."

"Thanks for the medicine, fox."

"I figured you'd need it," Megumi replied with a weak laugh. "Given how often you fall apart."

Silence.

"So," the doctor continued, "I sent the telegram yesterday. By the time you arrive in Tokyo, your friend should have received it."

"Right. Yeah."

"I take it he's trustworthy?" Megumi inquired, raising the tea to her lips.

"Aw yeah, we go way back. Old gambling buddy."

"How reassuring."

"Nah, fox. He's good. He'll go to Jou-chan's place and tell 'em. Hopefully no cops'll be there spying."

"Are you sure about traveling back on foot?" Megumi inquired. "It's two hundred kilometers, for goodness sake's. I wonder if a train would be better. I know they're getting even faster these days. Wouldn't that be nice? I hope they can still manage to stay on the tracks at that speed."

The lady doctor chuckled softly into her tea as Sano started to sweat at the mere mention of the vehicle.

"Gah, fox, don't even talk about that unholy thing. I told you, Aizu's a day's run from Tokyo. I got this, even if I walk. Plus, it's be harder for anyone to get me if I keep on the move. Even the weasel girl managed to make it around Japan without too much trouble. The harbor's not all that far from Jou-chan's and from there I'll catch the boat. They'll meet me at the dock and I'll say goodbye there."

"Alright," the lady doctor agreed. "Given the predicament that you've found yourself in, I suppose you have thought it through fairly well."

"Heh," Sano stretched and leaned back on his arm carefully moving his knee so it didn't hit the table. "Thanks." Megumi raised her eyebrows and a shoulder in acknowledgment and helped herself to another ohagi. The clock ticked away with a quiet insistence.

"So what're your future plans?" Sano asked, a sudden serious look thrown in Megumi's direction.

"Practicing here at the clinic and helping open the hospital. Of course, I'll be looking for my family." Megumi answered giving Sano a _you-already-knew-that_ look. "Why are you asking me that?"

"I meant other plans...besides those."

"I suppose I'll stay here in Aizu unless there is a dire need for me elsewhere."

"Yeah, yeah," the fighter replied with an impatient wave of his hand, "I know. Besides work."

"Sanosuke, what are you talking about?" Megumi broke the ohagi in half harder than she had intended.

"Dunno. How 'bout marriage?"

"What?!"

"Marriage," Sano repeated with a shrug. Apparently it was the most natural thing to ask a person. "Any plans for that?"

"Wha-! That is none of your business! Why are you asking such a personal question anyway? It's rude!" Unable to explain why she was suddenly so defensive, Megumi fell silent with an irritated sigh.

Sano watched her for a few minutes, then turned his face away. "Just curious is all, fox."

"Well keep it to yourself," Megumi said with a scowl. She glanced up at the clock , and, with an inexplicable feeling, saw that it was almost time.

As she watched Sanosuke finish his packing, his back to her, before beginning his journey back to Tokyo, Megumi felt sudden remorse over her harsh words. Although he didn't always think before he spoke, he had an honest and kind heart and would never intentionally hurt anyone. She nervously fingered the edge of her smock and glanced at the pile of firewood he had chopped for her earlier. If he laughed at her answer she wouldn't have to put up with him much longer anyway, so what was the harm in just telling him. Sanosuke had never been anything but completely truthful with her and she knew how he hated when others wouldn't do the same. Hearing Megumi sigh, Sano turned around and waited a long minute or two before she finally spoke.

"I don't see myself getting married, ever."

"Yeah?" Sano replied, tightening the strings on his bag, "Why not?"

The lady doctor drew in a deep breath. "Is it really so hard to see why? My work takes a great deal of my time. Even when I am not in appointments, I'm going to be on call all of the time. I don't know if the times are changing quickly enough for someone like me to be looked at as a prospective spouse. Our family was...odd even in the medical community. Not many women practiced like my mother and I did. Not to mention..."

Sano kept silent. He knew what Megumi was about to say.

"...not to mention...my past," the doctor continued. "I doubt most people are like Kaoru-chan and Ken-san who look past what misdeeds someone did in their past to see the person that they have resolved to be. It is one thing to find a friend who will do it, but a husband..." Megumi shook her head. "No one wants to unduly burden themselves in marriage."

"So, you would then?"

"Would what?"

"Get married and all that. If you could."

"Sanosuke, I _just_ explained why that isn't a possibility, so why..."

"You never said you didn't want to," Sano said simply, regarding the doctor's face calmly. "You just said you didn't think you would."

"I..." Megumi leaned forward and placed her face in her hands, "I don't know why you're so interested in this. I don't have much else to answer you with."

The two of them stood quietly. Awkwardness was not something that suited their relationship and both tried to avoid as much eye contact as possible.

 _If you could...would you?_

 _Why are you so interested anyway?_

After a few minutes, Sano slung his bag over his shoulder and stretched his arms. Megumi's heart sank. He was really leaving. Was this how they were going to say goodbye? This couldn't happen, she realized with a jolt. If they didn't resolve this now, Sano would leave for who-knows-where and it would be too late. She would have to wait until he came back and cling to only his word that he would return.

"What about someone who did know?"

"Knew what?" Megumi asked.

"About your past. Someone who's made plenty of mistakes themselves."

Megumi felt her eyes begin to burn and she pinched her lips together. _Someone who made plenty of mistakes themselves?_ "You make it sound so simple."

"'Cause it is."

"No, Sano. It's not _just_ finding this theoretical husband who has enough sins to understand mine," Megumi continued quietly, arms crossed protectively in front of her, "It's finding a husband who would know about my past, all of it and...and _still_ want to be with _me_. Still... _love_ me." The last words came out choked and she traced the self-inflicted scar that ran down her arm, an action that did not escape Sano's notice. Why was he doing this to her?

Her answer came quickly. The next words from Sano's mouth were not what she expected.

"That's why it's simple," Sanosuke repeated, eyes blazing. He tucked his fingers underneath her chin and gently lifted her head up. "You've already met him."

The flood of emotion that hit Megumi at that moment was so strong, it left her in shock. For a moment all the breath went out from her chest. Mouth frozen into a crimson "o", she stared at the ex-fighter's face, hardly able to believe her ears. She must be dreaming. She would have to go and plunge her head into the well to make sure she was actually awake because Sagara Sanosuke of all people didn't talk like this. This must be a game of his and Megumi would be damned if she let him win it. She needed the upper hand if her heart was to remain intact. Megumi's foxy smile, accentuated by the cherry-red lipstick she always wore, popped onto her face.

"Sanosuke, no baka. Don't you have enough women in Japan who will cry themselves and their broken hearts silly when you leave? Now you're trying to add one more to the list?" Megumi pulled the corners of her mouth up and tilted her head to the side but Sano didn't respond. She had never seen him look so serious. He stood, still as a statue and his eyes pierced though hers like a razor.

Very, very quietly, Megumi spoke again, hoping her breathing would slow down just a bit.

"You...you're joking."

"Heh," Sano made a mirthless sound and dropped his hands to his sides. "Megumi, I may be a lot of things, but I ain't low enough to lie to a woman about how I feel about her."

"Then you've never lied about this before?"

"Never said it before."

"Oh."

He felt very near to her now and she could almost feel the rough fabric of his jacket on her face. Megumi closed her eyes and for a moment, everything seemed to come to a standstill. She was positive that she had never been happier, despite the tears welling inside her eyes. No, no. She had to hold it together. Megumi would never knew what exactly came over her, but the next words she uttered slipped from her mouth so easily that it hardly mattered. Feeling her body heat up all the way to her hair, she quietly spoke.

"Sano."

"Yeah?"

"Will you...kiss me goodbye?"

Without waiting for an answer, the doctor pushed herself up on her toes and took hold of both Sano's arms. Somehow she always wondered how he might kiss and now that he had confessed to her, she was going to find out. The fighter gently stopped her and cupped her shoulders in his strong hands. Sano stroked Megumi's arm and bent his head down slowly.

Slowly.

Instead of placing his lips on hers, Megumi instead felt Sano pull her against him in an embrace and he nuzzled her hair as he spoke.

"Remember when Kenshin left for Kyoto and didn't say goodbye?"

"Yes?"

"I. Me. Sano. The freeloader. The roosterhead _._ The pain in your ass. _I_ wanted to tell you goodbye. More than anything. I just had to, Megumi."

Megumi's breath caught in her throat. If she didn't focus her all right now, there would be tears streaming onto Sano's jacket and he would leave with the memory of her hysterical tears. Suddenly, she felt his mouth against her ear as he murmured gently.

"You're amazing, fox lady. When I get back, I'll kiss you. I want to deserve to, ya know? Maybe by then I will."

Stepping back, Sano glanced at the clock and swiped a thumb under her eye to catch her tears.

"I'll be seein' ya."

And with that, he was gone.

 _He said goodbye to me._

Megumi swallowed hard, pulling at the sleeves on her smock and willing the tears away, but the game was over as they spilled from her eyes.

Someone had finally said goodbye to her and not just vanished from her life. Someone hadn't abandoned her.

And someone loved her. She, Megumi Takani, was loved. And by none other than the person she loved as well.

Laying her head down on the floor, she cried for the rest of the night, tightly holding the cup Sano had last drank from.

 _ *****This story is one of my favorites so far, but I was thinking of expanding on it and making it into a series in and of itself. I personally like the idea of Sano having gone to Aizu before he left the country and I'd like to see how it works with more exploration. It definitely turned out longer than I expected. Please forgive any bad editing and don't hesitate to let me know.**_

 _ **Two more chapters in the works. Sano meets Megumi in Europe? How many babies make up Sagara family goodness? Coming soon.**_

 _ **Thank you for all the wonderful feedback :)**_

 _ **aizu_fox**_


	6. I Will Listen

**Inspired by the Shimabara arc of the anime and by Zanza8's** _ **Sayo.**_

Its cold, its cold, its cold.

Honestly, I can't understand how I can deal with as many things as my job requires and even some unpleasantness outside of work, but the cold is what does me in. I hate it. When I was a child and would accompany my parents on their medical rounds wearing two smocks and a scarf over my kimono. I was reassured that I would grow out of it in adulthood, but no such luck.

I am shivering now, on my way back from a house call, and despite the fact that I will have to pass by the more raucous side of town, it is on the faster route to the clinic or even the dojo, should I choose to stay the night there. Damn this clothing! I could run faster than my brothers as a child and probably still could if I could trade this kimono for a pair of hakama like Tanuki-chan. However, I could never give her the satisfaction of seeing me in such casual apparel. I round a corner quickly and almost trip over the man half-sitting, half lying on the steps of the seedy establishment reeking of cheap sake.

"So sorry!" I steady myself before trying to continue on, but not before catching a flash of the familiar red bandana and rustled hair.

Stupid rooster.

 _Of course_ I would catch him in a state like this, although I have to admit to feeling slightly relieved that he is here just in case trouble shows up. I remember vaguely that the group had returned from Shimabara yesterday, and, as such, I had expected to see Sanosuke much sooner, especially since I am given to believe that there was yet another battle. My curiosity, however, fades quickly and the old, comfortable feeling of irritation flares in me as my tongue releases what it knows best.

"Sanosuke, you baka-tori! Are you too drunk to stand already or did they finally come to their senses and kick you out?"

He jerks his head up and my triumphant grin relaxes slightly into a frown. His eyes are red, but they look worse than usual and I can tell it isn't just the liquor. They look more puffy than bloodshot and there is more stubble on his chin than I've ever seen.

 _Attractive,_ part of me thinks before another thought springs to mind. _Idiot Megumi!_

He mumbles something and I cock my head. "Hm? What's that?"

"I said nothin', alright?!"

"Well, someone's in a mood!"

He pulls himself to his feet and glowers at me. For a moment, I cringe at how angry he looks and briefly regret what I've said.

"Goin' back in..."

"Don't you think you've had enough?"

"Get lost, fox. Go flirt with Kenshin if yur so lonely."

Rage boils in my gut both at the mention of Ken-san and the implications that I am lonely and desperate.

"How dare you!" I yell at him as he slides the door, "You think I came here to find someone to..."

"Oy, Sagara! I'm cutting you off! Go home already! If you break another table, it's going on your tab."

The barkeeper's voice echoes through the room as Sanosuke lurks in the doorway, half clutching the wall inside.

Then, another, much bolder, voice calls out. "Hey, take yur lady home and relax!" My face reddens as I realize I am in plain sight of everyone inside, even while standing slightly behind him. Before I can retort, Sano levels a glare in the voice's direction and silence fills the place as everyone in the room coughs nervously and fearfully avoids his gaze. Someone whispers the name Zanza and my heart skips a beat. With the advance of our friendship, I can easily forget that Sano used to be the infamous gangster and remember hearing rumors about the terrifying encounters he gave his opponents from a few of Kanryuu's guards. Sano shouts a few choice words and slams the door, starting to walk away. I find myself bristling, but Zanza or not, _I_ am certainly not afraid of him and grab the end of his gi.

"And where are you going?" A sharp wind blows my shawl open and the air hits my exposed skin. Ugh. I could be somewhere warm right now and instead I am chasing after this drunken moron.

"Whadda you care?"

"I'm your doctor!"

"So?"

"...and your friend!"

"Oh yeah?"

The nerve. I am almost freezing to death. Now it's my turn to hurl some colorful four-letter words of my own at him to get his attention. I can only imagine the looks on some of my patients' faces if they were to hear me talk this way.

When I finish he is staring (or trying to at least) at me with his jaw dropped. Now I know I have his attention.

"Sanosuke Sagara, you listen up! I am cold, hungry, and now incredibly pissed off. I don't care where you go, but I am not letting you out of my sight while you're in this state, now move so we can get somewhere warm!"

With a huff, he turns away and I follow him back towards the clinic. I sigh audibly, yearning for my own futon at home. The ones at the clinic are terrible for sleeping. Damn.

As he sullenly drinks a cup of tea after the painkiller I have given him, I examine him briefly. Aside from his unfocused eyes, he seems to be remarkably in one piece. Then I see the arm of his jacket.

"Sano, there's blood here! Where did you...?" Frantically, I pull the jacket half off of him to search for the source of the bleeding. He pulls away and puts it back over his shoulder.

"It's... not mine."

"Oh..."

An awkward silence falls over the room. Something happened in Shimbara that greatly upset him and I pause, wondering whether or not to press the issue and ask him. The blood is heavily concentrated in one area as if from a deep wound, but other lighter splotches suggest someone had been perhaps coughing it up. This concerns me and I worry about Sanosuke having been exposed to a respiratory illness. I raise my eyes to his and try to make my voice gentle.

"Is the person...?"

"Dead." His voice is flat, emotionless. I nod quietly and decide to leave the topic alone for now.

"Give your jacket to me and I'll wash it."

"No."

"Sano, I am not going to allow you to sit in bloody clothing. There are extra yukata here."

Before he can protest, I remove his gi and put it in the pile of linens needing to be washed. I will need to watch him carefully to see if he develops a cough. After washing my hands, I give him a yukata and set a futon on the floor that he practically collapses on. I kneel down and motion for him to lie on his belly. If he were to vomit in the middle of the night, I can't have him on his back. Despite being around Sanosuke frequently, I have amazingly never seen him quite so intoxicated, so I take all the precautions that I can.

"Okay, try to sleep it off," I say beginning to rise to my feet. "I'll be in the back room if you need something."

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms reach for me and catch the hem of my kimono. I crouch down once more.

"What is it, tori-atama?"

"No, don' go." He murmurs. "Stay. Like wi' Saito."

"Saito, what?"

"Like the Saito thing..."

" _What_ Saito thing?"

Then realization dawned on me. The three days he was unconscious after Saito stabbed him, I had practically lived in his room. He looked up at me and the pain in his eyes had slightly subsided and was replaced with a genuine desire to be close to me. I felt my face heat up slightly. I knew Sano and he was not proposing anything indecent. The expression on his face, head resting on my knee, and hand clutching my kimono all told me one thing. He needed me to stay. He wanted me to take care of him and if it were not for his sake-induced stupor he may not have asked otherwise.

"Oh, fine. I don't want to go into that cold back room anyway," I sniff. "I can't be getting sick, after all."

"Gonna rub my nose again?" Sano slurred with a ghost of that cocky smile on his face.

"What are you talking about?" I asked as my face turned warm again. I hadn't known what had come over me that day, but I had taken the cloth off his forehead, after sending Yahiko out to change the water, and stroked the bridge of Sanosuke's nose. I feel grouchy that he even brought it up. I am sure it was concern for his well being. I would have done that for anyone, but, more to the point. _Hadn't he been asleep when I did that?_

"You know. You rubbed my face. Wi' yur thumb."

"It was a dream."

"Yor a liar, fox. Liiiiar, liiiiar, liiiaaaar..." he sang.

"Alright, alright," I mutter.

"Liiaar..."

"Go to sleep already."

"Liar..." Sano mumbled, nuzzling my knee.

If it was possible, I scowled and smiled all at the same time before I gently lifted Sano's slumbering head off of my knee and laid it on the pillow. I bite back a smile at how adorable he is and mentally beat myself again for having such stupid thoughts. Wrapping myself in a thick blanket and scooting a respectable distance away, I lie on a cot and listen to his quiet breathing.

Outside the wind howls. Damn cold weather.

If Sanosuke wants to talk tomorrow, I will listen.


	7. Things to Come

Were there more children in here than usual?

The Akabeko, with its seemingly endless stream of customers was packed near the limit, but even as Megumi sat and picked at her rice, it felt like almost every other person was younger than five.

Tears threatened again and she fought them back.

She and Sanosuke had just returned from the temple and met the Himuras for a late breakfast. It had been raining heavily and Megumi was grateful for the grey weather as tt felt more honest for her to exist in at the moment. Several times while waiting at the temple, clutching the coin in her hand, she had desperately wanted to go home, but Sanosuke's strong presence alone was enough to keep her there. Aoshi and Misao were due to arrive from Kyoto the next morning and the team at the table was enjoying their usual antics in celebration, laughing, joking, and Kaoru and Yahiko taking the occasional biting remark from the other. Megumi smiled a bit as she watched Kenji eat his ohagi, stabbing it with his chopsticks and eating it off of them like a skewer. Kenshin patiently tried to correct Kenji's hold on the utensils, but the toddler was more strong-willed than any of them combined and attempted to either shriek, grab Kenshin's shorter hair, or impolitely stuff the sweet into his mouth before his father could get to him.

"C'mon kid, listen to your old man," Sano said, ruffling Kenji's hair. The toddler scowled at the ex-fighter, but allowed Sano to brush crumbs off of his small kimono.

"Really, Sano? Old? You were only gone for five years." Kenshin said with a laugh, even as he directed a glance in Megumi's direction. If the former rurouni had noticed the sadness in her demeanor earlier, he had been feeling it steadily improve.

"Eh, you've always felt kinda old to me, pal!"

"Oro!"

"That's because Sano's about as mature as a freshly laid chicken egg," hooted Yahiko.

"Nice hit, little Yahiko," Sano said, scowling easily and poking the heir to the Kasshin-ryu with a chopstick, starting a small scuffle at the table. Megumi's appetite was improving steadily as she enjoyed the antics at the table. Finally finishing her rice, she asked Sanosuke for another slice of _tonkatsu._ Glancing at the platter, Sano saw that it was empty so he snatched the last still-piping hot piece off Yahiko's plate and sent him off to get another order. Megumi braced for another scuffle, but Yahiko gave a glance in her direction and went off without a fuss. Sanosuke winked at her and she rolled her eyes at him in between bites. With each peal of laughter, sip of tea, or smile from her loved ones, the events earlier that morning were starting to bother her less.

" _Hey kitsune-chan, time to get up," Sano murmered nuzzling her hair._

 _Mmph, Megumi muttered, peeling open one eye and settling her hand on her lower abdomen. There was definitely more cramping there today, but perhaps it was only a pregnancy settling in. Her bleeding was late this month by a few days and she had been trying not to raise her hopes too high, but several possible clues were there and it was difficult. She moved slowly, as if afraid to disturb any small life that lay inside of her, and made her way to the outhouse._

 _When Megumi returned to their bedroom, Sanosuke was dressing and had just knotted his hachimaki. Turning around he saw Megumi crying. Her monthly bleeding had just arrived. Even as he felt a sinking, disappointed feeling in his own chest, Sanosuke wrapped his arms around his wife as she cried._

" _Hey, hey," he murmured. "Guess we'll just have to keep trying, huh? Hard for us to be sad about that!" He smiled at her, in hopes that his lame attempt at humor would help, but even as Megumi cracked a small, annoyed smile, tears continued down her face._

" _Aw, fox. C'mere..."_

"Hey."

Megumi glanced up and saw Sano smiling at her. "Hmm?"

"You doin' better?" Kenji was now in his lap and seemed unable to decide if he wanted to stand on Sano's knees or sit and varied between the two, all while trying to grab the ends of the fighter's headband and talking a mile a minute.

She smiled at the sight of the boy playing in her husband's lap. "Yes."

 _a sign of things to come_

" _tonkatsu" are breaded pork cutlets. Megumi needs comfort food :)_

 _I have this newly formed head-canon that Sana uses really sweet and mushy nicknames for Megumi when they are alone, but of course would rather die than admit it to anyone._

" _hachimaki"-headband_

 _As much as my writing is about Sano and Megumi's relationship, I feel like I am writing more about Megumi as a woman and all that it can entail-especially with the rooster around! * **sweatdrop*** I hope I do her justice! Opinions welcome ;)_


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